sorry, seems like I always ask questions in multiples of 2 or 3 here... I saw an old 200-amp panel yesterday which had a 12-awg Cu "tapped" off of themain lug, stuffed into the mainlug with the Alum. 4/0... it exited the panel through a short nipple into a small subpanel next to it and was used for exit lights, or at least thats what was written next to the breaker. First, this isn't ok even for an emergency type circuit is it? My understanding is that to tap, first you need to start from an OCPD in one panel and then connect the tap in a j-box and end up with the tap having an OCPD where it ends also. Second, was this possibly ok in a previous code... it had the old pushbutton breakers but the subpanel used probably 70's vintage breakers, so guessing this was done in the 60's or 70's, I don't know breakers and panels that well to date them. [no pun intended, you know hwhat i mean] And what about Cu anmd Al wires in the same lug? Would you go back to the owners of this sorority house and suggest they have this fixed, or are there any significant dangers here? By the way i saw an older church once that had the same set-up, emergency lighting panel tapped off the main lug, so guess this must be the way it had been done in the past.
thanks, C
